Check.

123.

Check.

All right.

All right.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

It is Thursday, May 28th at 7.04 p.m.

in the City Council Chambers.

We are led tonight in prayer by Reverend Christopher Peschel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.

Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Lord of all endeavors, give to our city's leaders courage to follow noble aspirations, strength, to support worthy causes, and integrity to seek the truth in all their civic duties.

Be their inspiration and guide.

Lord, make them instruments of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let them so love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light, where there is sadness, joy.

Grant that they may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive and pardoning that we are pardoned, in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit.

We will be led in the Pledge of Allegiance tonight by Counselor at Large, Brian Gomes.

I plead with allegiance through the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you, Mr.

Burk.

Thank you, Councillor.

I would like to note that this meeting is being live streamed and recorded.

City Council and Committee meetings can be viewed on the City of New Bedford's homepage under quick links, then meetings.

Tonight I am joined by my colleagues, Councillor at Large, Ian Abreu, Counselor of Ward 2, Scott Pemberton, Councillor of Ward 5, Joe Lopes, Joseph Lopes, Councillor at Large, Brian Gomes, Counselor at Large, James Roy, Counselor at Large, Naomi Carney, Counselor at Large and First Vice President Shane Burgle.

I will ask the clerk if there are any letters to be read into the record.

Mr.

President, I have one from Councillor Oliver.

Dear Council President Pereira and members of the Council, I am writing to inform you that I will be unable to attend the City Council meeting on Thursday, May 28th of 2026, due to a family emergency.

Please read this letter into the record to make my colleagues and the public aware of the reason for my absence.

Sincerely, Sean Oliver, Councilor of Ward 3.

Motion to receive in place on file made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Roy.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed the I S have it.

All right.

Moving on to hearings, I will ask that uh the clerk read item number one, please.

Mr.

President, item one is a hearing from NSTAR Electric Company doing business as Ever Source Energy for the location of approximately 15 feet of conduit in Hawthorne Street to property line of 115 Hawthorne Street.

1A is the order.

Motion to receive in place on file, open the public hearing made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed the Ice Have It.

Jessica, good evening.

Good evening.

If we could have a brief overview, please.

Yes, Jack, not a problem.

Good evening.

Mr.

President, members of the City Council, Jessica Elder, representing at Eversource.

Thank you for having me again this evening.

This first petition uh tonight is for 115 Hawthorne.

Uh it's work order number two zero seven nine, which is an Eversource work order number three six eight three.

Uh this work is being requested in order to provide uh upgraded electric service to customers location at um uh at this customer location at one fifteen.

The project involves installation of approximately fifteen feet of conduit.

Uh it's uh four-inch PVC conduit from existing manhole MH 8000 over 1230 to the property line of 115 Hawthorne Street.

The work will also include uh just the installation of new service and connection associated with equipment necessary to serve the customer.

Construction is expected to be a minimal minimal in the duration of you know one or two days, not even it's pretty much weather weather permitting if it's going to extend any more than that.

Ums will ensure that all disturbed areas within the public way are restored in accordance to the city of New Bedford in Eversort standards.

Uh any required police details will be utilized as necessary to maintain public safety and uh during construction activities.

Thank you.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Lopes.

Thank you for the detailed information.

Understanding that it's only going to be a day or two, but it's still allotting ambulances, it's a heavily traveled street.

Can we please make sure that there is a police detail on the street?

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Pretty sure that any time we do any work in the city.

It's the hospital and it's yes.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank Council President.

Thank you, Councilor Lopes.

Anyone else?

Okay.

Seeing that this is a public hearing.

If anyone from the public would like to speak in favor, speak in favor.

Be recorded in favor.

Be recorded in favor.

Speak in opposition.

Speak in opposition?

Be recorded in opposition.

Be recorded in opposition.

Colleagues, your pleasure?

Make a motion to close the public hearing and adopt the order as presented.

Motion to close the public hearing and adopt the order made by Councillor Lopes.

Second by Councillor Gomes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item number two, please.

Mr.

President, item two is a hearing from NSTAR electric company doing business as EverSource Energy for the location of approximately 15 feet of conduit and one handhole in Blackmore Street.

This work is necessary to provide upgraded service to Blackmore Street at the corner of County Street and 2A is the order.

Motion to receive in place on file and open the public hearing made by Councillor Abrew.

Seconded by Councilor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Jessica, again.

So this next petition before you tonight is within the right-of-way of Blackmere Street.

This project is being requested in coordination with the uh New Bedford DPI in order to support electrical service associated with a lighting cabinet installation.

The proposed work involves the installation of approximately 15 feet of new one to four inch conduit along the side of the uh along with the proposed handhole, sorry, 8,000 over 5524A from existing manhole, uh which is 8,000 over 524 within the public right-of-way.

Uh again, the work is primarily localized to the sidewalk and adjacent area uh right of way and is expected to be limited in scope in Duration.

Um Eversource will ensure that all disturbed areas are restored in accordance to the City of New Bedford again in Eversource's standards and any necessary details will be requested.

Okay.

Colleagues, any questions?

From the chair, if the body would allow.

Jessica, the work is primarily on on Blackmare Street?

Primarily.

Okay, so nothing on county?

Uh it's the the uh it's actually going a little it's primarily on Brack.

There's a small portion of it that's going on County.

I would just say like right on the corner.

Okay.

So Black Mare is pretty quiet of a street.

What I would say is any work that if if county street itself will be disturbed, then I would like a police detail.

But if it's just on the side street, it's literally right on the corner on the corner.

So probably just because county it's tight over there, there's a lot of cars, uh it's a highly trafficked area, it's say probably air on the side of caution with the police detail.

Absolutely.

But if if they are only gonna work from the corner, yeah.

Then uh on Black Mare, then I'd say uh up to the foreman to make that decision or those whoever it would be.

Basically on safety.

If it's on county, I definitely would like a police detail.

Okay.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Okay.

This is a public hearing.

Uh anyone from the public would like to speak in favor?

To speak in favor?

To be recorded in favor, to be recorded in favor.

If anyone would like to speak in opposition to this project, speak in opposition.

Be recorded in opposition.

Be recorded in opposition.

Colleagues, your pleasure.

Motion to close the public hearing made by Councillor Abro, seconded by Councillor Burgo.

Any discussion?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

The order is before us.

Motion to adopt the order made by Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Roy.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item three.

Mr.

President, item three is a hearing from NSTAR electric company doing business as Eversource Energy for the location of approximately 14 feet of conduit in Brock Avenue.

This work is necessary to provide upgraded service to Brock Avenue and 3A is the order.

Place on file and open the public hearing.

Motion to receive in place on file and open the public hearing made by Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor O'Lopes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Jessica.

And so this next petition before you tonight is work within the right-of-way on Brock Avenue.

Work order number two three five nine three three six two.

This project is being requested in order to support electrical infrastructure improvements associated with the City of New Bedford.

This is City of New Bedford requests.

So you're not going to it's just going to be right.

Yeah, it's pretty much not, it's not going to be in the street.

It's going to be from the manhole right in the sidewalk.

So we expected it to be limited in scope and duration.

We don't expect it to take any more than a day.

Episode will of course ensure that all disturbed areas restored in accordance to New Bedford standards and Eversources standards.

And if there is a detail necessary, we will request one.

Thank you.

Just for clarification purposes before I uh ask my colleagues if they have questions.

Where on Brock Avenue?

It looks like it's right.

Kind of well, more to it.

Hold on one second, I apologize.

I know it's it looks like from the pictures near Hazelwood Park.

It is uh kind of near Butler Street area.

Okay.

Thank you.

Right down there.

Okay.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any questions?

Okay.

Just from the Chair, just to clarify again, you said this work will be almost entirely from the sidewalk, all of it in the sidewalk between sidewalk and the grass?

Correct.

So no street disturbance.

No street disturbance.

So it's a wide enough street.

I don't think there would be a need for a police detail.

Okay.

Okay.

Uh Chair recognizes Councillor Gomes.

Thank you very much, Mr.

President.

Is this an installment for the um electrical car charger?

For the car charger?

I uh geez, you know what?

I don't have that information.

I can find out.

I'm not sure.

I didn't.

Through you, Mr.

President.

The reason I am asking is we had this uh issue in traffic last night.

And it the location and everything seems to be and that's why I am asking.

Okay.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm not I don't I didn't I don't know.

You are working on the sidewalk on the berm on the grass at Butler and around the entrance of uh Hazelwood Park.

It looks like it, Mr.

President.

I could stand to be corrected.

Thank you.

All right.

Jessica, if you wouldn't mind if you uh find extra information out if you would send it along to the council office.

Okay.

What I'll do is I'll have Anthony passing.

That'd be fantastic.

Thank you.

Yeah, there's nothing on my schedule.

Maybe I also should clarify what uh what happened last night.

Uh the city has entered into an agreement with a company who is putting in free um car charges throughout the city, and one of those locations is right uh just south of the entrance to um Hazelwood Park, and there are several others throughout the city.

Okay, thank you, Councilor.

Great.

So this is a public hearing.

Anyone from the public would like to speak in favor?

Speak in favor.

If anyone would like to be recorded in favor, to be recorded in favor.

If anyone from the public would like to speak in opposition, speak in opposition.

If anyone would like to be recorded in opposition, to be recorded in opposition.

Colleagues.

Motion to close the public hearing.

Motion to close the public hearing made by counselor burgo.

Excuse me.

Seconded by counselor Choquet.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Motion to adopt the order made by Councillor Abreu, seconded by Councillor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask.

Thank you very much, Justin.

Thank you.

And I did it is the charging statement.

It is the charging state.

It is the charging statement.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Take care.

I will ask the clerk to read item number four, please.

Mr.

President, item four is a hearing from Served Well National Club LLC for the location of two underground umbrella footings at 24 Union Street and 4A is the order.

Excuse me.

Motion to receive and place on file and open the public hearing.

Motion to open the public hearing made by Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Lopes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Your name and address for the record.

Good evening, Mr.

President.

John Markey Jr.

on behalf of Served Well National Club LLC.

Steve Silverstein and Judy Silverstein.

Probably two of the most successful business people and uh employers and providers of excellent food in New Bedford.

I'm grateful to be here for them.

What we have here, and many of you are would be familiar with it is the National Club, which have been vacant for probably 15 years, has been redeveloped.

One of the things that the Silversigns have decided is that seasonally to expand their ability to serve the public, it would be beneficial to have some outdoor sidewalk seating.

They have pursued that in a number of different angles, getting a license with the city, uh applying for a sidewalk cafe license, and in order to do that effectively on sunny days or like we just had rainy days, uh they wanted to place some umbrellas there.

Their uh engineers had presented a plan uh to DPI and worked through it with Jamie Pont and the team at DPI to say are these acceptable and appropriate places to place stands and bases for the umbrellas so that it would be safe.

Jamie reviewed it with them and sent his team out there and everything was approved.

And basically what we're asking for is the permission to uh have the umbrella stands remain where they have been recommended by Jamie to place them in the engineers, and uh uh it's a fairly straightforward.

There's no street closings, there's no really meaningful sidewalk closings, people could still pass around the outside of it.

But that's that's the basic request.

The Chair recognizes Councilor Roy.

Hi, Attorney Markey.

So these um umbrella stands, are they going to be embedded installed into the sidewalk?

Is that what they're doing?

Yeah, yeah, to just so that they are steady or that they are stabilized, they would be remove a piece of the sidewalk, place them in there, and then they could be removed seasonally at the end of the season, but that would give them a solid base.

That's basically the request.

Thank you, Counselor.

Anyone else for attorney markey?

Okay.

Seeing none.

This is a public hearing.

So if any member of the public wishes to speak in favor of this project, if any member would like to speak in favor.

If any member of the public would like to speak uh to be recorded in favor, excuse me.

Recorded in favor.

If any member of the public would like to speak in opposition, speak in opposition.

Any member of the public would like to be recorded in opposition.

To be recorded in opposition.

Colleagues, your pleasure.

Make a motion to close the public hearing and adopt the order as presented.

Motion to close the public hearing and adopt the order made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councilor Choquett.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Thank you very much for the president, Mr.

Council.

All right.

We'll move on to our mayor's papers portion of the meeting.

I will ask the clerk to read item M1.

Mr.

President, M1 is communication from the mayor to the council.

Submitting an order that the Department of Public Infrastructure is requested to obtain appraisals of land located on Assessors Map 59, lots 001, 012, and 200.

Purported address of 930 Pleasant Street for the purpose of acquiring permanent and temporary easements and a permanent fee area for the construction of the intersection improvements, utility upgrades, ADA compliance, traffic signals, and ancillary upgrades to re-establish the right-of-way of Hillman Street and connect the neighborhood to a new multimodal design in the purchase street, Hillman Street, and Pleasant Street area.

M1A is the order.

Second motion to adopt the order made by Councillor A.

Bruce, seconded by Councillor Roy.

Anyone on the question?

Chair recognition, Councilor Roy.

I think this will pass, but I just want to say for the record, I think this is pretty cool.

We've all driven down this street and we get to the bottom and we kind of kind of take a hard ride and a hard left.

Um yeah, it's a full city council meeting.

I I apologize.

Um thank you for reminding me, Mr.

President and everybody else.

But yeah, I just wanted to just wanted to uh say how cool it is that we're changing this, and I support adopting the order.

Thank you.

He supports us so much, he stood right up when he said that.

That's it.

Exactly right.

Anyone else?

All right.

All those in favor of adoption of the order say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Without objection, the chair would like to take items M2 and M3 together.

No objection.

I'll ask the clerk to read items M2 and M3.

Mr.

President M2 is communication from the mayor to the council.

Submitting an ordinance amending chapter 19 of personnel, section 19-7-2 of the City Code for a temporary delay and step increases for unit C management positions across city governmental and government in fiscal year 2027.

The suspension would be in effect for one year.

M2A is the ordinance, and M3 is also a communication from the mayor of the council submitting an ordinance which would suspend for one year section 19-7D of the City Code that establishes an annual colour for unit C management positions across city government for FY 2027.

M3A is the ordinance.

Motion to pass to a second reading.

Motion to motion to pass the items to a second reading made by Councillor Burgo.

Second.

Seconded by Councilor O'Lopes.

Is there anyone on the question?

Seeing none, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item M4.

Mr.

President, M4 is communication from the mayor to the council, submitting an ordinance, meaning Chapter 19, personnel, Section 19 7C of the City Code to create the position of assistant superintendent of green space at pay grade M11, the position fully paid out by the Water Enterprise M4A is the ordinance.

Motion referred to the Committee on Ordnance.

Second.

Motion to refer the items to the Committee on Ordinance made by Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Kearney.

Anyone on the question?

The Chair will recognize Councillor Burgo.

Thank you.

So I would probably rather just vote no and get this get rid of it all together, but I guess I want to give Commissioner Pont the benefit of the doubt, mainly because in the correspondence uh that's attached to this communication that was sent to us, he indicates in his letter, and therefore the mayor indicates in his letter that the council approved this position, the assistant superintendent of green space, which is an M11 position, making about $77,000 a year in the fiscal year 26 budget, which is last year's budget.

But combing through last year's budget and the budget before that and so on and so forth, all the way back to FY22's budget, there is no assistant superintendent of green space that appears.

And obviously, as we can tell, in order to have that functioning title or have that position, there needs to be an ordinance change.

So no council from here to fiscal year 22, as far back as I decided to go before I stopped and realized, yeah, there is no assistant superintendent of green space.

There is a superintendent of green space at M13 position that began in fiscal year twenty-three and is current, but in our current budgets of fiscal year twenty-seven now appears a superintendent of green space and a new position of assistant superintendent of green space.

So I'm asking to refer it to committee just so we can hear from the commissioner about apparently the council approving this new position in last year's budget, even though it did not appear in our budget.

And I I'd really like an explanation on the justification around 94 positions being eliminated while creating a new one.

It's just again, we heard the other night from our amazing chief of staff, one of two, by the way, um, telling us that we're down a hundred positions from two thousand nine.

But again, the narrative that's left out is they their their math that they use is they eliminate these positions while adding again these brand new positions of 77,000.

What I want to remind again in the communication that we received, the mayor mentions the reason why this position is so important is because of those layoffs from parks and recreation.

Now let's talk about one of the layoffs in parks and recreation that handles green spaces, was an M4 position.

That M4 position happened to be with the city for quite some time, so they had reached a level of about sixty-three thousand dollars versus the seventy-seven thousand dollar position that's been created.

So just so we can keep in mind about the problems that we're facing as a city and the mayor pointing his fingers around.

A lot of it has to do with some of the mismanagement we're seeing in government.

So we'll get this into ordinance and we'll have a conversation with our commissioner and maybe get some answers on why we're creating these high-paying new positions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor.

Anyone else?

All right.

On the question before on referral to the committee on ordinances.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the I have it.

Without objection, the chair would like to take items M5 through M23A together.

Can we sever M five?

Sure.

Sure.

Just take that.

So why don't we take M five right now and then we'll we'll we'll go to start on M6 after that.

So I'll ask the clerk to read item M five.

Mr.

President, M five is a communication from Mayor Mitchell to the City Council, submitting an order for the transfer of 43,000 from public infrastructure personal services to mayor personal services and M5A is the order.

Motion referred to the committee on finance.

Second.

Motion has been made to refer the the item to the committee on finance.

That's been made by Councilor Burgo, second by Councilor Kearney.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Now without objection, I will ask the clerk to read items M6 through 23A.

If you want to just present M6 is a communication from the mayor to the council submitting an order for the transfer of $30,000 from public infrastructure personal services to City Clerk Personal Services.

M7 is for $25,000 from public infrastructure personal services to resilience and environmental stewardship.

M8 is $20,000 from public infrastructure personal services to community services personal services.

M9 is $17,000 from public infrastructure personal services to traffic personal services.

M10 is $16,000 from public infrastructure personal services to CFO personal services.

M11 is $15,600 from public infrastructure personal services to purchasing purchase personal services.

M13 is $265,000 from EMS receipts to EMS personal services in the amount of $50,000.

EMS purchase of services in the amount of $105,000.

EMS supplies in the amount of $80,000.

NEMS other charges and services in the amount of $30,000.

M14 is $225,000 from water personal services to water supplies in the amount of $125,000.

And water capital outlays in the amount of $100,000.

M15 is $150,000 from wastewater purchase of services to wastewater supplies.

M16 is $50,000 from public infrastructure personal services to public infrastructure supplies.

Excuse me.

M17 is $38,000 from planning purchase of services to planning personal services.

M18 is $30,000 from cable access purchase of services in the amount of $10,000 and supplies in the amount of $20,000 to cable access capital outlays.

M19 is $6,850 from cable access supplies to cable access personal services.

M20 is $14,000 from labor relations purchase of services to labor relations personal services.

M21 is for $7,000 from City Council purchase of services to City Council Personal Services.

M22 is $4200 from auditors purchase of services in the amount of $1,850 and other charges and expenses in the amount of $2,350 to auditor personal services.

And M23, Mr.

President, is $2,500 from fire other charges and expenses to fire purchase of services.

Motion to adopt M6 through M23A.

Motion to adopt the orders M6 through M23A made by Councilor Burgos, seconded by Councilor Abrew.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Without objection, I will ask the clerk to take items M24 through M46A together and read those together.

Without objection, we'll ask the clerk to read.

I'm sorry, Mr.

President.

M24 is a communication from the mayor to the council submitting an order that in accordance with Mass General Law, Chapter 44, Section 53E and a half.

The revolving fund under the control of the City Council, known as the Council Special Permit Revolving Fund whose revenues collected and amount limited to be spent is estimated at $5,000, is hereby authorized for FY2027.

M25 is for the senior transportation revolving fund in the amount of $10,000.

M26 is the senior activities revolving fund in the amount of $800.

M27 is for senior travel agency revolving fund at $240.

M28 is the EMT Training Academy revolving fund at $15,000.

M29 is the EMS Detail Revolving Fund at $10,000.

M30 is the community training revolving fund at $53,952.

M31 is the Health Department Compliance Programs Revolving Fund at $60,000.

M32 is the demolition of buildings and structures revolving fund at $176,001.

M33 is the vacant building revolving fund at $82,000.

M34 is the library equipment revolving fund at $15,000.

M35 is the Fort Tabor revolving fund at $180,000.

M36 is the supportive recreation revolving fund at $65,000.

M37 is the golf course revolving fund at $28,000.

M38 is the dog park revolving fund at $3,000.

M39 is the ZVA revolving fund at $22,000.

M40 is a rifle revolving fund at $60,000.

M41 is the New Bedford Rail Yard and Rail Crossing Revolving Fund at $226,781.

M42 is the purchasing revolving fund at $50,000.

M43 is the New Bedford Energy Now Revolving Fund at $4,846.

M44 is the Food Service Concession Revolving Fund at $250.

M45 is the tangible supply disposition revolving fund at $206,270.

And M46, Mr.

President, is the tourism revolving fund at $5,000.

Motion to adopt uh M24 to M46A.

Motion to adopt items M24 through M46A made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councilor Pemberton.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item M47, please.

Mr.

President, M47 is communication from the mayor to the City Council submitting a copy of the final FY26 Office of Housing and Community Development Action Plan and the Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to apply for federal financial assistance from the United States of America.

M47A is the FY26 action plan and M47 is the resolution.

Motion to receive in place and file M47, M47A, M47B.

Adopt the action plan and accept the resolution as presented.

Second.

Motion to adopt uh everything that Council Aloep said on made by Council of Lopes, seconded by Council of Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

Without objection, can we take M48 to M 57 together?

Can we sever M 56?

Okay.

So we will take item six.

M48 through M57, severing M56 together.

I will ask the clerk to read those if you want to just make a note to scheme.

Thank you.

Mr.

President, M48 is a communication from the mayor to the city council.

Submitting the reappointment of Brad Markey of New Bedford to the Airport Commission.

This term will expire in December of 2028.

M49 is the uh reappointment of Matthew D.

Preventure to the Airport Commission.

M50 is the reappointment of Ramon Silva to the Airport Commissioner.

M51 is the reappointment of Martha Reid, the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.

M 52 is the reappointment of Marcia Fernandes to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.

M 53 is the reappointment of Angela Clark to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.

M54 is the reappointment of Kimberly Betancourt to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.

M55 is the reappointment of Christopher Amarall to the Community Preservation Committee.

And M 57 is the reappointment of Daniel Patton to the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuge Management District.

Motion to receive and place on file M48 to M55 and M57 and follow the recommendation and reappoint as presented.

And way rule 38 and wave rule 40.

Okay.

Motion to receive in place on file items M48 through 55 and 57.

Waive Rules 38 and 40 and adopt uh and grant the reappointments made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Abreu.

Anyone on the question?

Okay.

I will ask the clerk to call the roll.

Counselor Abrew.

Yes.

Councilor Burgo.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Carney.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Shouquette.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Gomes.

Yes.

Council Lopes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pereira.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Passes 9 to 0, Mr.

President.

Those items pass 9 to 0.

Is any member from here from the public?

None of those.

Okay.

I will ask the clerk to read item M 56, please.

Mr.

President, M56 is a communication from the Mayor of the City Council.

Submitting the reappointment of Ricard Resendes of New Bedford, Massachusetts to the licensing board.

This term will expire in June of 2032.

Motion to refer to the uh Committee on Appointments and Briefings.

Motion has been made to refer the item to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings made by Councilor Burgo.

Second by Councillor Pemberton.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed.

The ayes have it.

Without objection, I will ask the clerk to read items M 58 through M60.

Mr.

President, M58 is a communication from the Mayor to the City Council.

Submitting the appointment of Lara Harrington of New Bedford to the Airport Commission.

Ms.

Harrington will be replacing Christina Sordist, who resigned in January of 25.

And this term will expire in December of 2027.

M59 is submitting the appointment of Justin Olsen of New Bedford, Massachusetts to the Water Board.

Mr.

Olsen will be replacing the late Patrick E.

Rogers, who resigned in January of 2025, and this term will expire in April 27.

And M60 is the appointment of Craig R.

Espinola of New Bedford to the Steamship Authority Board of Governors to fill the seat vacated by More Tierney.

Motion to receive emplacement file M 58, 59, and 60 and refer to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings.

Motion refer the items M 58 through M60 to the Committee on Appointments and Briefings made by Councillor Burgo.

Second by Councilor Pemberton.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item five.

New business.

I will ask the clerk to read item five, please.

Mr.

President, item five is a report from the Special Committee on Special Permits and Licensing.

Recommended to the Council approval of the application for a new private livery license on behalf of Annalise Valentin Burgos at 627 Allen Street, New Bedford, Mass, doing business as Gorana's Transportation Incorporated at 21 Weld Street in New Bedford, and 5A is the communication.

Motion to grant the delivery license made by Councillor Burgo uh Abrew, excuse me.

Second.

Second by Councillor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk without objection to read items six and seven together.

They are waivers for the same uh uh gentlemen.

Mr.

President Item Six is a report from the special committee on special permits and licensing.

Recommended to the council approval of the petition for a waiver of residency on behalf of Paul and Bryant of Round Rock, Texas, doing business as Fall River Pondbroker is located at 1351 Occusion Avenue in New Bedford, requesting a waiver of residency in accordance with section 15-38 of the city code to obtain a license to deal in junk, old metals, or any other secondhand articles.

6A is the communication and item seven, uh as you said, Mr.

President, is for the same gentleman.

Uh also doing business as Falro Pondbrokers for the second location located at 268 Union Street.

Motion made by Councillor Abreu to grant the waivers on item six through seven A.

That was made by Council Abrew seconded by Councilor Pemberton.

Anyone on the question?

Roll call vote is required.

Council Abrew.

Councilor Burgo.

Yes.

Yes, Councilor Carney.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Shoket.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Gomes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Lopes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pereira.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Passes 9 to 0.

Mr.

President.

Items pass 9 to 0.

I will ask the clerk to read item 8, please.

Mr.

President, item 8 is a report from the Committee on Ordinances recommending to the Council approval of the ordinance amending Chapter 9, Section 4 4100 A, relative to municipal facility conversion.

8A is the ordinance.

Motion to pass to a second reading.

Motion to pass to a second reading made by Councillor Burgo.

Second.

Second by Councilor Carney.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

The ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item nine.

Mr.

President, item nine is report from the committee on ordinances.

Recommending to the council approval of the ordinance submitting Chapter 10 by inserting a new section 10-86.1.

Voluntary electronic email delivery of real estate and personal property tax bills after section 10-86.

9A is the ordinance.

Motion to pass to a second reading.

Second.

Motion to pass to a second reading made by Councillor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Carney.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 10, please.

Mr.

President, item 10 is a report from the Committee on Ordinances recommending that the Council adopt the written motion from Councillors Burgo, Pereira, Abrew, Carney, Oliver, Lima, Baptiste, Gomes, Morat, and Giesta, requesting that the Committee on Ordinances explore the enactment of an ordinance or city policy to establish parental paid leave to provide compensation for a period of time for city employees in the event of an additional of an addition of a child to the employees' immediate family to allow for the proper care of and bonding with the child.

10 A is the motion.

Motion to pass uh to a second reading.

Second.

We adopted one.

I don't know.

Motion to pass to a second reading made by Councilor Burgo, seconded by Councillor Lopes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 11, please.

Mr.

President, item 11 is a report from the committee on ordinances recommending the city council adoption of an order as amended and an act as amended for the recall of elected officers in the city of New Bedford.

11A is the order and 11B is an act.

Motion at table.

Motion to table made by Councillor Burgo.

Second.

Second by Councilor Gomes.

Anyone on the question?

Roll questions.

Roll call vote has been requested.

I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.

Counselor Abreu.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilor Burgo.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Carney.

No.

No, Councillor Shokett.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Gomes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Lopes.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilor Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pereira.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Roy.

No.

No.

Passes 7 to 2.

Item passes 7 to 2.

The motion is tabled.

I'll ask the clerk to read item 12, please.

Mr.

President, item 12 is a report from the Committee on Appointments and Briefings recommending to the City Council approval of the appointment of Christ Christobald Jose Escobar of New Bedford, Massachusetts to the Veterans Advisory Board replacing Christopher Holtkamp, who has resigned.

This term will expire in December of 26.

12A is the communication from the mayor.

Motion to receive and place and file the communication for all the recommendations of Pinning and Appointments and Briefings.

Second.

Motion to adopt made by Council Lopes.

Second by Councilor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say on the question.

On the question.

Chair recognizes Councillor Burgo.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the work that we all did to restore the balance, I guess, on the Veterans Advisory Board is the word I would use.

As I came to you all before and let you know we didn't have enough members to even constitute a quorum on this board, and I'm proud to say with this uh vote tonight, well, even really before this vote tonight, they are now at a full compliment.

Um they have been meeting regularly, and so I'm very proud of the work of this council to uh break away a little bit from the norm uh and make sure that this very important board, the Veterans Advisory Board is able to get back to a functioning uh body.

So I just wanted to uh thank this body for doing that work and to also honoring uh our veterans and also to uh Mr.

Escobar here for uh taking this uh opportunity to uh serve in our our city in this capacity.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Motion to grant the appointment is before us.

Anyone else on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

Uh I colleagues items 13 through 15A are items out of committee for no further reaction.

If we could waive the readings and take no further action, that's been made by Councilor Burgo.

Second, second by counselor lopes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 16, please.

Mr.

President, item 16 is a written motion from Council President Pereira requesting the city council waive Rule 27 in order to hold budget interview sessions on Monday, June 1st of 2026 and Wednesday, June 3rd of 2026.

Motion to adopt.

Motion to adopt has been made by Councillor Burgo.

Second.

Second by Councillor Carney.

Anyone on the question?

Roll call vote is required.

Councilor Abreu.

Yes.

Yes, Council Burgo.

Yes.

Yes, Council Carney.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Schulcett.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Gomes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Lopes?

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pereira.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Passes 9 to 0.

Mr.

President.

Item passes 9 to 0.

I will ask the clerk to read item 17, please.

Mr.

President, item 17 is a written motion from Councillors Lopes and Gomes requesting that representatives from Republic Waste Services, E.

L.

Harvey, and Waste Management attend a meeting of the New Bedford City Council's Committee on Appointments and Briefings to discuss their ongoing violations of the City of New Bedford ordinance governing waste collection and disposal operations within the city.

Motion to replace and file motion to receive and place and file.

Follow the recommendation of refer to the committee on formants of briefings and on the question.

Motion to refer to the committee on appointments and briefings been made by Councilor Lopes, seconded by Councillor Burgo.

The chair will recognize Councillor Lopes.

Thank you.

So I'm going to stop by calling out Republic Waste.

And I want to thank Solicitor Jakes for being here.

Republic Waste.

I have reached out to at least one dozen times.

Spoken to the gentleman that handles the Northeast.

And he assures me that he's going to follow up with every driver that the city ordinance says you cannot pick up dumpsters before 7 a.m.

Republic waste must live in another community.

I mean, because at 5 30 in the morning.

Every week.

5 33, 5 44, 5 45.

They are going in there picking up the same exact dumpster.

And after calling them repeatedly and being fined at least three times in the last month, they continue to do this.

E.L.

Harvey waste, not as bad, but almost as bad.

They have a dumpster right behind on Brigham Street.

And they pick it up.

6 o'clock, 6 14, 5 47.

We live in a world where everybody has ring doorbell cameras and they hear the dumpsters picking them up.

Neither one of these companies want to follow the rules of the city.

I actually would like the fine to increase to an amount that makes them actually want to follow the recommendations and the ordinance.

Or I would love to do it to change and I want to talk to Colonel Dorotowski that we require that they place a bond to place a dumpster in the city.

Because if they're not going to follow the ordinances in the City of New Bedford, they should more than be penalized for it.

They are disturbing the quality of life of every single person in a neighborhood when they pick it up at 5 33, smash it on the ground once or twice to make sure it's empty, and then they hear beep beep beep until it finishes backing up.

It is a total lack of disrespect for the residents that live in the city of New Bedford.

And when I've talked to some of these business owners, they say it's not my problem what time they come, it is your problem because you're willingly and knowingly retaining the services of these companies when they're violating the city ordinance.

So I'm looking forward to having them in appointments and briefings, and I look forward to having a conversation with attorney Guratowski if we can not only increase the fine, but require that they have a bond to place these dumpsters in the city.

And not just one universal bond, a bond for every single dumpster that's in the city.

Because if they're not going to listen to a councillor, Solicitor Jakes or the building commissioner, they have no respect for the governing of the city or the community as a whole.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Lokes.

Chair recognizes Councillor Schockart.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Through you to the fine counselor from Plymouth Street.

I have a question.

Is E.L.

Harvey that company that started the biblical rap plague in Ward 1 and 3?

I think we all know that answer.

Okay.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

Chairman.

Yes, thank you very much.

Before I say a couple words, I'd like to be if the makers of the motion don't mind if I get added to the motion.

I've been dealing with waste management for several years now.

Um I take pictures, I take videos of them dumping, picking up the dumpsters before 7 o'clock on a constant.

And that's right on the corner of my street.

Commissioner Romanowitz has fined them.

Obviously, they don't mind paying these fines over and over and over again.

So I am with my colleague from Plymouth Street that we should look into increasing the fines and the bonds on the stumpter on the dumpsters is a great idea.

Because the quality of life in the city of those dumpsters banging, I'm down the street, I'm almost to the end of the street, and I can hear the dumpsters banging.

Now that the windows are going to be open because it's summertime, it's going to be worse.

Now my windows are closed, and I'm hearing the banging and the beeping up.

And that's at the corner of the street, probably eight houses down.

So I agree with my counselors, and I'd like to sign on to this motion, and we need to do something about it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You can include any council.

Wouldn't any counselor like to have their name added to this motion?

See, Councillors Kearney, Choquette, Abrew, Ad Pereira, please, Pemberton.

Thank you.

Anyone else on the question?

All right.

All those in favor of referral to the committee on appointments and briefings say aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 18, please.

Mr.

President, item 18 is written motion from Councillor Gomes, requested the City Council send a certified letter to the Officer of the Inspector General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requesting that they conduct a forensic audit of the financial situation in the City of New Bedford that resulted in reported surplusing turning surpluses returning into substantial deficits in the city's financial structure over a very short period of time.

Follow recommendation and waiver 40.

Second.

All right.

Wave Rule 40.

And follow the recommendation of the motions been made by Councillor Gomes, seconded by Councillor Carney on the question.

The Chair would recognize Councillor Gomes.

Thank you very much, Mr.

President.

Mr.

President.

I'm not here this evening to throw fire on fire that's already burning.

But I need to get some answers.

I have been mind boggled, and when I say that, and I don't mean it like we don't know what's going on here because we know what's going on here.

And this council has been blamed on several occasions for the deficit that uh the city is in because we were not listening.

We did not uh or are hear the calls.

You know, I heard the calls.

I heard you talk about the pension.

I heard you talk about um insurance, but I didn't hear anything else.

I didn't hear anything else.

I had a $13 million um uh surplus in December, and all of a sudden we're $32 million in the hole.

This is not making sense to me.

This is not making sense to me.

When I stand up tonight and I address this issue, and I hope my colleagues will follow.

Listen, I'm not afraid of the uh Inspector General.

I know you're not afraid of the Inspector General.

There ain't a colleague that should be afraid in this room for the inspector general.

We do not control, we control the money, but we do not control the money.

And I need to know, and the people of the city need to know where this all happened and how it all happened.

Uh several weeks ago I've told you, uh three weeks ago we're proposing a hundred million dollar uh police station.

We're doing this.

Matter of fact, we've had uh uh uh uh the finance uh personnel here, and you know, we've done some um either appropriations or whatever in this council.

There's somebody in this council always asks, how will this affect the budget?

No, we're okay.

We're okay.

We're okay.

When did this happen?

You can keep trying to shy that away and brush that away and talk about the issue of we've got to work together to you know get this all done.

We'll try to do that on the next motion.

But um, I need somebody an independent person to come in here.

Now they're gonna tell you why didn't you go to the Attorney General?

Not going to the Attorney General, because it would have had to pass by eight votes in this room and it would have been signed by the mayor.

And if you think the mayor's gonna sign that, that isn't happening.

Second of all, I don't get it.

And I'm I'm still spinning my head that this was not caught before we got to the point it is.

Somebody's held accountable for this.

And if you want to sweep that under the rug, you go right ahead and you let that go, and we'll try to do what we'll do.

People will be laid off, and the taxpayers will be hurt in the city.

I want to know, and that's why I'm asking the inspector general.

It's an independent.

They'll tell you that we had an audit also here.

Remember that, ladies and gentlemen.

Remember the audit report?

Remember what the audit report told you, the company that we hire, and we pay them and we give them the numbers, we give them what we give them.

Gave us a heck of a um, you know, passing triple A, all you know, we're we're just good finance.

I want the money back.

And they should be fired because why didn't you pick it up?

Why did they pick that up six months ago?

Thirty-two million did not just come overnight.

There's something wrong here, and I'm trying to find it.

That's all I'm trying to do.

And I hope my colleagues will follow my recommendation and uh let this letter.

We're sending these letters certified, and there's a reason why I'm sending them certified.

Because if we don't hear back from people, whether you can help us or you can uh do something to alleviate some of this, we'll know what to do after that.

We'll know who to call out.

Appreciate the opportunity, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councillor.

The Chair will recognize Councillor Schokat.

Thank you, Mr.

Uh President.

Um, I need a longer mic here, but I'm sorry.

I need to grow shorter.

Um I I want to um uh you know commend my colleague from Clara Street for putting this idea together.

Um I've I've heard some people in the public say, oh, well, you know, you're you're you're too hard on the mayor.

Um, you know, you guys are responsible too.

We don't have this is a part-time job, okay?

If I had six people working for me, if I had two chiefs of staff, I had administrative assistants, a chief operations officer, uh uh uh a constituent services chairman, and uh a public information officer, and it was my only job, I could get a hell of a lot more done than I get done in here, and I'm sure my colleagues would agree they'd have to be able to get a lot more done.

How are we supposed to know before the mayor?

We only know once the mayor's office says to us, hey, guess what, guys?

Uh you know, we went from 13 million down to 32 million in the red.

In the and that was what what like a month ago we found out about that.

So, you know, the whole deflecting the blame game and trying to soften what's happening with the mayor's office is is a is a bunch of malarkey.

Okay.

Now, I've said it many times, Mr.

Mayor, and this is directed towards you.

Keep your hands off that fire station.

As long as you keep pushing and threatening the lives of 30,000 people in the North End, I am going to absolutely endorse and back Councillor Gomes' uh motion to have outside intervention come in here and find out what's going on.

I've told you many times, you can't balance a budget by injuring other people and meddling in public safety.

You don't want to listen, then we're going to get outside help to come in here.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Schulkat.

The Chair recognizes Councillor Pemberton.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just want to rise just to support the good council from Clara Street.

You know, this is my first year on the council, first time with a budget, and I just can't believe what I'm seeing and what I have to go through and try to make some cuts to uh make up for this money that's missing.

Uh we deserve answers.

The citizens, the constituents need answers.

And I'm glad that the counselor from Clara Street put this on the agenda today, and I stand to uh rise to support them.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you, Councillor.

Anyone else?

Okay.

So the motion before us is to waive rules Rule 40.

Excuse me, and follow the recommendation of the motion.

I'll ask the clerk to call the roll.

Councilor Abrew.

Yes.

Yes, Council Burgo.

Yes.

Yes, Council Carney.

Yes.

Yes, Council Schuquette.

Yes.

Yes, Council Gomes.

Yes.

Yes, Council Lopes.

Yes.

Yes, Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes, Council Pereira.

Yes.

Yes, Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Passes 9 to 0, Mr.

President.

Passes 9 to 0.

I will ask the clerk to read item 19, please.

Mr.

President, item 19 is a written motion from Councillor Gomes requesting that certified letters be sent to Governor Healy, Senator Montigny, Ways and Means Chair Rodericks, House Speaker Mariano, and Representatives Cabral, Hendricks, Markey, Willette, and Sylvia requesting a supplemental budget to help close the gap of the $32 million deficit the City of New Bedford is currently facing.

This one-time appropriation would prevent the closure of fire station number nine in the near future and protect the jobs of the men and women that protect the lives and property of our city.

It would also prevent laying off personnel and provide vital services to the city.

This appropriation request is being presented on behalf of the city's taxpayers to provide notice to our state leadership of the funding obligations that are owed to the taxpayers of the City of New Bedford.

Motion to waive Rule 17 and 40 and follow the recommendation was made by Councillor Gomes, seconded by Councillor Carning on the question.

Chair recognizes Councillor Gomes.

Thank you very much, Mr.

President.

Mr.

President, some may say, like, what the heck are you trying to do here?

Why do you feel how how in the heck do you believe that you're going to get 32 million dollars from the state to close this gap?

If we don't try, we don't know.

We just don't know.

Again, I am sending certified letters because I want to see who responds.

And if you can't help us, just tell us you can't help us.

If you ignore me, I'm going to go public because it's been done to this council on several occasions.

We've sent letters, just straight letters, and we never get a response back on many, many issues.

You know, we want to be players.

We want to be players, we want to be players together for the people of the city.

I understand they are on the state level, but give me the same respect that I give you.

Respond to my communications, respond to the communications of the city council.

Mr.

President, a lot of people are about to get hurt here.

And that's a big part that's been in my head.

I think some of us have been carrying it on our shoulders because we're going to have people that are going to get laid off.

There's going to be city services that are going to be taken away, and those vital services and some of the smaller services.

And then on top of that, I'm going to tax the taxpayer.

Well, you talk to some of the elderly in this city in some of these neighborhoods across the city that own these properties.

Even some of the working men, they don't know where they're going to get that tax dollar.

Where you're going to get that tax dollar.

Where you're going to get a thousand, where are you going to get 1,600 more in your tax dollars?

And we're we're proposing this like it's nothing.

Like we it this is just how it is, and there's no other backing out.

I'm not going to follow that path.

I'm going to follow the path of uh making some people responsible for either action or get some action that it can at least help the people.

If we can't get 32 million, if you can give me 15, you can give me 20, that closes the gap.

That puts us to work.

We've got to go to work and put this thing together to make sure that we protect our city.

We protect them services.

Them 94 people that are getting laid off.

I'm feeling them.

I don't know about you, Mr.

President, but I'm feeling them.

I'm feeling for the taxpayers.

I'm feeling for the people who couldn't won't be able to afford this.

And you know, there's going to be retaliation from this.

And it's going to come.

And when you see them for sale signs going up across the city, because people cannot afford the taxes.

We've been through this before.

We've been through this.

You're telling me that this has been happening since 2008.

Well, when did you take office?

Fourteen years ago.

What have you been doing?

What doors have you been knocking?

I know if I was the mayor and this situation was arising, I'd be in Boston every damn day, and I'm going to be banging on doors.

And you can throw me out, you can throw me down the stairs, but I'll be back tomorrow.

And when I come back tomorrow, it's possibly I'm going to come with my city council and I'm going to come with a lot of people that I represent.

It's almost a feeling that you're into.

When were what were you doing?

I told you, I've been telling you.

You ain't been telling me nothing.

You've been telling me that we're everything is nice and hunky-dory, and we're just moving along, and the city's moving along, and we can afford to do this, we can afford to do that.

Again, ladies and gentlemen.

Three weeks ago, a proposal for a police station.

You did not know then we were in trouble.

And you're proposing something like that?

That's incompetence.

I don't care.

That's somebody's deranged or don't know what the hell is going on here.

You haven't been to your friends?

More healy.

You're down here taking pictures and everything, whispering in her ear.

My city is in trouble.

You weren't telling us nothing about that.

You were making an endorsement because it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I said the other night.

I'm sure it's gotten back to more um uh governor in some way, some form, and I don't care.

Because there ain't nothing she can do to me.

Matter of fact, it's something I can do to her.

But I'm asking for her assistance right now.

And if she was a uh if she could understand what is happening here, she would uh help this city in some way, with her good friend uh the mayor of the city who has been tagging on her tails for as long as I can um figure.

And I'm sorry that I'm I'm t I'm speaking in the way I am tonight, but I don't need to hold anything back because you know what?

Again, it's about our taxpayers.

It's about the city.

I'm not here only fighting for station nine.

You can bring 500,000 and save station nine for six months.

That's not good enough for this councillor.

That's not good enough for the Council of Ward 1.

And I believe elder at large councillors that represent that area.

It's not good enough.

You're gonna cause more problems up there.

Increasing insurance on those people and everything.

No protection.

That's a wide area.

If you really know your city and you watch your city, you'll know what this engine means to that area.

This council and many that sit here in this council fought for station eight because we knew what it meant to that neighborhood.

We knew the density in that neighborhood.

We knew what engine eight has done.

To be at that um one of the uh standouts up at Station 8, along with many of my colleagues that are sitting here, and I'm sure they might have met her.

It broke my heart.

It broke my heart when that constituent came across the street and said to me, counselor, please fight for this station.

I live two blocks over there.

This station saved my mother's life.

Wow.

If that wasn't a hit, and I don't know how many of my other colleagues talked to that lady.

She ended up talking to New Bedford Light or whatever.

But it was i it's them kind of things that if you have any soul within you, it kind of moves you representing people.

I'm thinking about the airport.

I'm thinking about the the schools, I'm thinking about the plazas, I'm thinking about all that's in there, and they can tell you, oh, don't worry about it.

Station eight will come that way.

We'll bring station five.

Where do we leave, gentlemen?

Where do we leave that far north then?

Nobody for the industrial park.

If we had a simple chemical spell while they're assisting someone, we've left the densitest part of the city, station eight.

Nobody, because they're coming this way to assist us, maybe at No Mandan, maybe at the plaza, maybe an accident at Talk and Hill in Church Street.

That's what I'm fighting for tonight.

And I'm fighting for those employees.

I don't want to see them services lost.

Them services that go to some of our young people.

Our young people, the most vital.

We want to keep them off the street, want to keep those after school programs.

We throw them through the streets.

We don't know what's going to happen to them.

These assists also parents, single parents, mothers that work till 5 o'clock or so, or work a little later that night.

This is services that are helping them, and God bless them mothers.

God bless them mothers still providing for them kids and standing up and doing the right thing.

And it can happen to dads also.

Mr.

President, I know you have allowed me a lot of time, and you I'm sure you hear the emotion in my voice.

The emotion is about my city, about our city, about our people.

About our city, about our people.

And we need to save these jobs.

And we need to put this city the way it was running.

I don't agree.

We're putting all these departments together.

We're not going to service people.

I told you we did this 20 years ago.

The media took it upon themselves to, oh, we did this 20 years like it was a brand new thing to do.

But they didn't tell you that it wasn't working back then.

That's why we went back to the way we did it.

And we have to go back.

And I understand.

I understand about the cuts.

And we're look at that budget right now with $32 million deficit.

What are you all feeling, ladies and gentlemen?

I know you got to be feeling the same thing I'm feeling.

We're looking at that budget book.

We're sitting here in our chairs at night.

We're sitting up to 11 o'clock going, where do I cut?

If I cut, I'm hurting more.

I'm hurting more.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is an opportunity.

This is the only opportunity I know.

We can stand outside of fire stations.

We can stand outside of City Hall.

We can make our comments to be heard by the public and the people that we represent.

We need the state to step into this, and we need them to do the right thing at this time.

And we have some surplus money up in Boston that this could happen.

And I know we're not the only community, but think about the communities did or not in a deficit.

Think about it.

Have you heard them talk about it?

That's why, even when this was all proposed to us, we're kind of hanging around the South Coast here, you know, Matthew's whatever.

Let's stretch it out, man.

Let's go to Tartan.

Let's go to Far River.

Let's stretch this out a little.

Yeah, this is a places that are in trouble.

They're in trouble for their own reasons.

Our reasons, we weren't in trouble.

And then all of a sudden we were.

And that's why I want the inspector general to find out exactly where this deficit is, and I want the state delegation and our state um people to help us out here to help out the city of New Bedford so it can continue to function.

And if you can do that for us, we'll take we'll absorb them nights over and over.

This council sitting here trying to figure out how we fix that as we move into the future.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I want to thank my colleagues.

Thank you, Councillor.

The chair will recognize Councillor Abro.

Thank you very much, Mr.

President.

Um there's not much to say after that, but man, um I felt the passion in the speech before me.

But here's the reality.

Chapter 70 and government aid gone which goes by Ugger, okay?

That's the acronym, okay.

It was built, the formula was built in a different era in a different time.

There were less cars on the road.

Infrastructure was different in these communities like New Bedford.

It's a different time and it's a different era.

And the reality of the situation is that the system is broken.

And what happens with some people and some of the bureaucrats on Beacon Hill, um, they say, Well, I filed the bill.

I file a bill, and I'm doing I'm doing my part.

I filed the bill.

You know and I know anyone who follows what happens on the hill, there are thousands of bills filed every year, and it goes in a committee, and it gets into the waste paper bin, or they blow hot air in committee, the votes and the deliberations, unless you're there in that committee hearing, they're not publicly accessible, you don't know how the votes are, you don't know how it goes down.

That's what happens.

Okay, that's what's going on up in Boston in many cases.

We can talk about I'm filing a bill.

Well, it's easy to say that, but we're the ones here in New Bedford, we're the boots on the ground, elected officials who are receiving the phone calls, the Facebook messages, the um emails about I can't afford it anymore, I can't afford to live in my home, I can't afford the property tax hikes.

I what about station nine?

I'm I'm in, you know, I'm in what if we're in grave danger?

What is this gonna do to my insurance rates in my homes?

What is this gonna do for my community?

What is this gonna do for my neighborhood?

And then we are the ones who are on the ground level at these rallies, these neighborhood meetings here in the chambers, and we're all tearing each other apart, is what happens.

So we're taking all the brunt of this, and we'll take it and we'll deal with it because we love what we do.

But the reality is that it's a Boston issue, and they need to help us.

And I know there have been bills filed, and I uh I I praise my good friend Senator Montigny, and I know many of us do here as well for what he did and securing that earmark last week, to at least give Station 9, we hope, a stay of execution until we can figure out some more additional cuts to keep that station fully functioning and opened for the remainder of the next upcoming fiscal year.

But again, that's the discretion of the mayor.

We can find the money, we'll find the money, but again, it'll be up to upstairs on what he decides to do with that.

I'm frustrated because see that kind of stuff.

Well, I filed a bill.

That's like us saying, well, we do I filed the motion, walk away.

We do the work here for better or for worse, you know, and there's all different personalities in here, and some get along, some don't, and that's fine, but we're here to do a job, and we were put together by the people here in the city of New Bedford.

We were put together to do a job.

And when push comes to shove, we'll do that job.

It just makes me laugh, you know.

I mean, I I just hear some of the rhetoric out there.

Everyone's stupid.

We're stupid.

Uh the retirement board is stupid.

Uh the unions are stupid, the pet committee is stupid.

We're all dumb.

You know, I just I'm just frustrated because we do our best to do our part here in the city of New Bedford here in this council, and I'm proud of the work we do.

You know, it's funny, we cut.

Mr.

President, I believe it was 13 million last year when we set our budget.

Um, and we've said yeah, when I was president, I think it was 11.5, and others it was 1213.

But what I'm getting at is we get banged by the administration and some others, well, we don't cut enough, and we're not being fiscally or we're not being fiscally prudent or watchful of or being good corporate stewards or watchdogs of the checkbook, but yet when we do make these cuts like the 13 million or the 12 million or the 11 million when I was the president a few years ago, or whatever the case is, then we get slammed.

Stupid cuts, arduous cuts, they're ridiculous cuts.

Well, you can't have it both ways.

You know, slam me on the cuts, but then say we're not being prudent enough uh in what we're doing here as fiscal stewards of the checkbook.

So I'm having a hard time wrangling this and and reconciling this in my head.

I don't know where this is going with this budget this year.

First time in my in my life uh as a counselor, this is my 11th budget where we're trying to figure this out.

The council before me is absolutely right.

Where do you cut?

There's no meat on the bones, but we gotta figure it out because we have a fire station to save, and we have constituents who can't afford to live in their homes anymore.

That's the reality, and we're all feeling it.

We're all taxpayers here in this in this room, one way or the other, we get it, and we're regular people like you, and we're gonna we're gonna do our job to the best of our abilities because that's what you elected us to do, and we're gonna get it done.

And I support this motion.

Let's get it up on the hill.

But again, Chapter 70 and AGA is broken, it's been broken for a long time, it is not kept up with the with the rate of inflation, and we're suffering the blows from that.

So I appreciate the extra time, Mr.

President.

I'll yield it this time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor.

Chair recognizes Councillor Shocke.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

A lot of emotion from my counselors here, my my colleagues, and I want to thank them.

They're speaking the truth.

And you know, every day I wake up, I wake up angry.

Really, um at at uh where this city is headed.

And I'm just I'm just tired of being angry all the time at the mayor.

You know.

But Mr.

Mayor, you gotta put that money into the station.

Woe is you if we do this and we find that money and you don't you don't keep that station open.

It will be your waterloo, and it'll be time to dust off your resume.

And yes, I said that.

I'm done being I'm I'm tired of being angry.

Okay.

Disgusting.

It's absolutely disgusting.

I'm finished.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Chair recognition is counselor lopes.

Thank you, Council President.

So I will be extremely brief.

The administration hired a consultant to create two studies.

I know we all got them.

We all read them.

First one, City of New Bedford Fire Department impact of eliminating eliminating engine nine.

On page 14.

This is not the city of New Bedford.

This is an independent company that the mayor hired.

Eliminating Station 9 and Engine 9 will most likely have a significant negative impact on the New Bedford's ISO fire suppression rating.

This could also result in an increase in fire insurance for premiums throughout the city.

Not just the North End, but the entire city.

On page three of their report says over a 10-year period, there was 3,547 structural fires in the city of New Bedford.

You divide that by the number of days in the year.

That means there is greater than one structural fire in the city of New Bedford every single day.

Every 23 hours and change.

There is a structural fire across the city.

You pull from one area to offset another, and then it refers to on a few pages later, the response time will go up to six hundred and ten seconds.

When the industry standard is four hundred and eighty seconds.

We're going to increase the response time.

And we all know how long if a the longer a fire has to burn, the least likely you're going to be able to save it.

And it becomes a douse and prevent.

It's not a save, you're saving the rest of the neighborhood.

We live in a thickly settled community.

We all got our driver's license.

We all took the to learn his permit.

It is a thickly residential community.

These are not our words.

These are the words of the consultants that the administration hired.

That this body approved.

Now we can all put two and two together, or we can make assumptions.

It's a bargaining technique because the mayor has always wanted to reduce the number of people on an engine from four to three.

Neither one of these reports that he requested, that he commissioned, that this body paid for, states that that should happen.

If you read the reports, I know we all have.

It literally states that they do not recommending reducing the size of the number of people on an engine from four down to three.

It's a safety for not just the firefighters, but it's a safety for the residents in the community in the houses.

Now that is the data backs out every other call for service that might be mutual aid, that might be a car accident.

It only looks at structural fires.

The data says it all.

You can say that we like to grant stand to whatever it is.

These are the reports that the mayor had commissioned, not the council.

Thank you, Councillor.

Thank you, Council President.

Anyone else on there first?

Councillor Gomes on your second.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I know you allowed me extra time when I got up the first time, and I'll be very brief, but there's some people that I don't want to forget, and I don't want to forget New Bedford Police Department.

This is a perfect example.

You see, that cut has been made.

Excuse me, men and women were about to go off to the academy.

Have you heard from their mothers?

Has anybody heard from their parents or some of the family members that are very upset?

I see some heads shaken.

Yes, because I heard from them.

I had a mother stand in front of my son was about to go, and now he's not going.

He is somewhat heartbroken.

Yeah, I'm heartbroken, because you know what?

We know that we need those bodies.

We need those bodies on the police department, and we're not going to have them.

And and and I want to stand up for the MVPD because it along with that and some of them services, right down to grass cutting and and yar yardways.

You know where you're going to find that?

Drive around.

I told you any time you want to come for a ride with me on a Friday night, I'll show you some things, man.

You'll be like, what the heck?

Whether it's on the airport road, whether it's an industrial park, wherever they can kind of throw stuff and get rid of stuff, that's what they're doing.

The MPP NBPD deserves a contract.

There's still no contract.

Things are not making sense.

Add it all up, ladies and gentlemen.

We're here as fighters tonight.

I respect what I've heard tonight.

I thank my colleagues.

I thank my colleagues for the support tonight.

This isn't about us.

We've just been sent here to be the brokers.

We've been sent here to watch the pennies.

That's what we're trying to do.

We're trying to help our city this evening.

And we're asking for the state to help us.

And anybody that wants to criticize us, let them do that.

Let them do that.

Ladies and gentlemen, feel good about what you do because we do our job most of the time.

And I think it's been set here tonight.

We don't all get along.

No, but we know when it's time to focus.

We know when it's time that it's in the best interest of the people, not in your best interest or my interest.

We've been sent here in the best interest of the people.

Mr.

President, again, I thank you for the time.

I thank my colleagues for listening to me tonight.

And I hope that this goes through and we get some type of response from Boston in some way, somehow, that will assist us.

And we're looking to our delegation to do that.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Anyone else on there first?

Chair Eck and his counselor showcase on the second.

Yeah, I just want to add, thank you, Mr.

President.

We are going to find out what happened.

I promise you that.

And people it we're going to find out what happened here.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor.

Anyone else?

All right.

So just as a reminder, we're waving rules 17 and 40 and adopting the motion before us.

I will ask the clerk to call the roll.

Councilor Abrew.

Yes, Council Burgo.

Yes.

Yes, Council Carney.

Yes.

Yes, Council Shoket.

Yes.

Yes, Council Gomes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Lopes?

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pemberton.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Council Pereira?

Yep.

Yes.

Council Roy.

Yes.

Yes.

Passes 9 to 0, Mr.

President.

Item passes 9 to 0.

I will ask the clerk to read item 20.

Mr.

President, item 20 is a written motion from Councillor Lopes and Council President Pereira request that the city solicitor in conjunction with the administration draft a home rule petition for submission to the Massachusetts General Court authorizing the City of New Bedford to establish an early retirement incentive program for eligible municipal employees.

Said petition shall provide an employees who have retained the age of 50 years or older and who have completed 25 years or more of credible service to the with the city may be eligible to retire with a retirement allowance calculated at up to 75% of their eligible retirement benefit, subject to the approval of the Massachusetts Legislature and the Governor.

Motion to refer to the Committee on Ordinances.

Motion to refer to the Committee on Ordinances.

Motion to refer to the Committee on Ordinances made by Councillor Roy.

Second by Council Lopes on the question.

Thank you, Council President Burgo.

Because he's moving up to the chair.

So this isn't new.

The state has done this countless times in the past when there's been budget issues, budget deficits.

So you normally look at 55 years of age, so I will amend it in committee to 55.

I thought I wrote 55.

I apologize.

And 75% of your maximum pension contribution.

If we're looking at ways to save the taxpayers' dollars, the individuals, the men and women of any department in the city that have been here for 25 years or longer, are at the highest end of their salary step.

And if we're going to bring on newer people, there's an automatic savings on that end.

The other piece, the employees that would be retiring are the employees that put the least into the pension system based on the formulas that has changed throughout the course of their 25 years.

Employees that were hiring today put the maximum contribution allowed into their assignment system, which I believe is 12 percent.

Now, years ago when I was a teacher, we put in seven, then went to nine, eleven, and I believe it's twelve today.

So the employees that would be retiring are on the lowest end of the contribution scale, and the new employees that we would bring in on would be at the higher end of a contribution scale.

So in addition to not only adjusting the budget, we'd be bringing on newer individuals to do the same jobs at a lower step because those that retiring are already at the maximum step.

So I'd like to see this in committee and drafting a home rule that we would then send to the state for adoption.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The Chair recognizes uh Councilor Pereira on his first.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Oh, you're gonna call me.

I I thank my colleague uh from Ward 5 for uh uh co-sponsoring this item with me.

This is the steps this council we have taken um in the previous motions, this motion, other motions to come, finding ways to figure out a solution to a lot of these problems.

He explained a little bit about the background of what this will do to help save the city some money.

What I would like to say is the practicality of this.

I will not waste this body's time if the administration, which does not have uh which can just simply not sign a home rule petition, uh if they don't want to.

So I do not want to waste this uh council's time, the committee on ordinances time.

So I'm going to ask Mr.

President that we receive within 10 days notice to the chairman of the audience, which also happens to be the president at this time, that the chairman of ordinance be notified by the city solicitor if this is something the administration wants to explore.

I am not wasting our time, our legislative council's time, our staff's time, or uh uh his time for that matter, if it's something the mayor is going to take and file in the circular uh uh filing cabinet known as the trash can.

So I would just like to get within ten days of receipt of this motion, the city solicitor notify the chairman if this is something the administration wants to pursue.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Anyone else on there first?

Point of information?

Sure.

I was wondering if the makers of the motion could uh provide some information like how much um the city could save if this is certainly could do that in committee.

Sure.

All that information.

Yeah.

Okay, great.

Oh, it is.

All right, great.

Well, I had it here.

Thanks.

Perfect.

Anyone else on the question of referral to the committee on ordinance?

Anyone on their second?

Seeing none, all those in favor of referring to the committee on ordinance.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The ayes have it.

Yeah.

Do you guys have any questions?

Mr.

President, item 21 is written motion from Councillor Gomes requesting that the Department of Public Infrastructure sweep and clean the streets and that all potholes be filled in the interest of public safety prior to the Cape Verdean Recognition Day parade on Sunday, July 5th, 2026.

The parade route is as follows.

Rockdale Avenue and Union Street, proceeding down Union Street, right onto a cushion Avenue, made right on to Grinnell Street, aid right onto Purchase Street, and ending at the reviewing stand located at the Cape Verde and American Veterans Memorial Hall at 561 Purchase Street.

I'm sorry.

Motion to follow recommendation.

Motion to follow the recommendation.

Motion to follow the recommendation refer the item to the Commission the Department of Public Infrastructure made by Councillor Gomes.

Second by Councillor Abreu.

Anyone on the question?

Chair recognized council.

We did switch to Sunday.

Yeah.

And Diane didn't tell me that when I was on phone with her before she left for Cape Verde.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor.

On the question, the Chair recognizes Councillor Burgo.

I just I didn't want to overstep on the maker of the motion.

I just wanted to jump up to thank the maker of the motion.

He puts this forward every year.

And I wanted to note that every year, and you'll we'll get the email in about a couple of weeks or so that it's been returned by the mayor unsigned.

So that happens all the time.

That a simple request like this, cleaning the parade route and making sure that the potholes are filled.

The mayor will have no hand in it.

He will make sure that he returns this back to the council unsigned.

I know Councillor Gomes, excuse me, our colleague from Claire Street.

He ignores it.

But I want to thank our colleague and also the workers of DPI.

They do clean uh the parade route, but oftentimes uh the potholes do go unfilled as the people know.

So I just wanted to make that note that this will be returned on signed by this administration, but they will proudly march in that parade.

Thank you.

And yes, this year for the general public should know we don't compete with the Bristol parade that happens on July 4th this year.

It happens to fall on Saturday, and we obviously use some of their marching bands.

So this year the parade does happen to happen uh fall on Sunday, July 5th, and it will step off at 12 noon instead of 11 o'clock for those who will be marching in it.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

All those in favor say aye.

All right.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 22.

Mr.

President, item 22 is an ordinance.

Council President Perera submitting an ordinance amending chapter 19, section 19-7 of the City Code of Ordinances relative to personnel.

Oh, motion to pass to the second reading.

Motion to pass to a second reading made by Councillor Burgo.

Withdrawn second by Councillor Abrew.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I'll ask the clerk to read item 23.

Mr.

President, item 23 is a communication from Dennis Farris, the city clerk, clerk of the council to Ryan J.

Pereira, City Council President, requesting an increase for three administrative and recording fees, vital record amendments, junk collector dealer fees, and business certificates.

Is this just motion to receive and place on file or uh it would it be a referral to the committee on ordinances?

Motion to refer to the committee on ordinances.

Motion to refer the items to the committee on ordinances made by Councillor Burgo.

Second.

Seconded by Councillor Carney.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Oppose the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 24.

Mr.

President, item 24 is communication of demolition from Ann Laurel, the preservation planner to the City Council regarding a built building demolition review of 24 Carter Street, map 85, lot 288, a circa 1926 wood frame structure advising that the structure is not located within the National Historic Register District.

The structure is of no notable historic significance, either recorded or found with the existing condition of the structure.

The structure suffered a significant fire and requires reconstruction.

And in light of these findings, the preservation planner has determined that the wood frame structure located at 24 Carter Street is neither historically significant nor preferably preserved.

Structure.

Make a motion to receive and place on file, follow the recommendation of the historic commission and grant the demolition permit.

Motion to grant the demolition permit made by Councilor Loepes, seconded by Councillor Gomes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed the ayes have it.

I'll ask the clerk to read item 25.

Doing business as all needs transportation at 32 Liberia Lane in New Bedford.

This license will run from July 1st of this year to June 30th, 27.

Motion to refer the special committee on permits and licensing made by Councillor A.

Bruce, seconded by Councillor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask the clerk to read item 26.

Mr.

President, item 26 is a communication from the Department of Environmental Protection Waterways Regulation Program, providing public notice of the waterways application by the City of New Bedford to dredge and restore a salt marsh off of Belleville Avenue in the municipality of New Bedford within filled water and flow tidal waters of the Acushnet River.

The proposed project has been determined to be water dependent.

Motion received and place on file made by Councilor Lopes.

Second by Council of Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Opposed, the ayes have it.

I will ask any tabled item.

Motion to take up and adopt consent.

Second.

Motion to take up and adopt the consent agenda made by Councilor Burgos.

Seconded by Councilor Lopes.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed the ayes have it.

Motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn has been made by Councilor A.

Bruce.

Seconded by Councilor Burgo.

Anyone on the question?

All those in favor of adjournment say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

The ayes have it.

We are adjourned at 8 36 p.m.

Thank you, everybody.

That wasn't too bad.

My colleagues.